A 29-year-old man is facing burglary charges after officers stopped him blocks away from a Belltown condo early this morning riding a stolen bicycle.

Shortly after 5:00 this morning, witnesses called 911 to report seeing a man open the gate to a secure parking garage of the building in the 2600 Block of 2nd Avenue. Witnesses reported seeing the man take a bicycle from the garage and ride off. Witnesses were able to provide officers with a description of the man, and officers stopped the suspected burglar four blocks away. The suspect was positively identified and arrested. West Precinct burglary detectives are handling the follow up investigation.

This incident is a reminder that “secure” parking garages are far from immune to bike theft. If your building’s garage does not have a bike cage inside the garage (most do not), you are best off either bringing your wheels up to your apartment or buying a really strong lock (or using multiple locks).

If your bike is stolen, be sure to report it to the police. Secure garages often have cameras, which provide vital evidence for catching serial bike thieves.

For bikes under $500 in value, you can easily report the theft online. Over $500, call the non-emergency number at 206-625-5011 to report it to an officer.

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